


the bridge to nowhere

by starkmccall



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Dream Team SMP Spoilers, Fix-It, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, orpheus and eurydice but it's two british teenagers on a mc server, some serious fudging of the lore and the logistics of bringing someone back to life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:35:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29796144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkmccall/pseuds/starkmccall
Summary: “Tubbo?” He says stupidly, sitting up so violently he almost gives himself a headrush. “Why are you - what are you - what happened? Did someone - did Dream get you?”“I’m not dead, Tommy.” Tubbo shakes his head, and it’s only when Tommy gives him a quick scan that he realises his hands are shaking too. “I’m not - I’ve come to get you back.”Or, it turns out Tommy's a better Eurydice than he is Theseus
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 1
Kudos: 70





	the bridge to nowhere

**Author's Note:**

> living in new zealand and being a fan of mcyt is so fun because you wake up and you get a notification for tommy's stream that's just started and you go yay what a nice way to start the day! and then you're just peacefully making breakfast and then tommy just fucking dies while you're making your cereal. this is not an exaggeration that is quite literally how my day went. anyway this is very very self-indulgent i just need some fucking joy in my life right now thanks. that being said there is a line that very minorly implies suicide but it is very much not a part of the plot i just figured it was better to be safe than sorry with the tagging
> 
> also if you see any of the dynamics that feature the minors in the server as romantic i will remove ur kneecaps and use them as a tasteful decoration piece on my shelf xoxo
> 
> title from should have known better by sufjan stevens. i am fucking crazy but i am free

The first thing Tommy sees when he comes to is Schlatt, which he isn’t exactly fucking thrilled about. Schlatt, on the other hand, is delighted - and incredibly, incredibly drunk. Tommy doesn’t know he managed to get his hands on alcohol in the In-Between, but then again - there’s so much about their world he couldn’t even begin to understand. 

“Tommmmmmmmy!” Schlatt yells, boisterous and irritating as ever. “Been a long time, man. I’d ask you what brings you here, but, well, you know.”

“Death.” Tommy responds anyway, even though he hasn’t quite wrapped his head around the fact that he actually is dead. Gone. Not alive. Perished. Any other synonym for it. “I died. Like you.”

“Yeah.” Schlatt snorts. “Crazy, huh?”

“Crazy.” He looks around, trying to take in his surroundings. It looks like - a house, kind of? They’re standing in a room filled with gaudy decorations, the walls made of gold. It doesn’t seem much of a Hell, but it’s too unsettling to be Heaven. An unsettling inbetween, which makes sense - it is quite literally called the In-Between. “Look, not that I don’t love our chats, but is Wilbur around?”

Schlatt snorts again, and it’s not a pleasant sound. Tommy hasn’t missed being around him in the slightest. “Where else would he be?”

“Well, he’s not fuckin’ here, is he?” Tommy wants to kick him. “Look, could you just show me where he is, dickhead? My brain’s a bit fried from being beaten to death, unfortunately.”

Schlatt recoils. “ _That’s_ how you went out? Jesus, that’s rough, man.”

Tommy digs a nail into his palm. “Yeah. Tell me about it.” 

Schlatt pats him on the shoulder, and it takes all of the mental stamina he has to not smack his hand off and push him to the ground for good measure. “I’ll take you to him. Probably still out remaking your stupid fucking city. It’s so fuckin’ boring being stuck in here with him, man, all he does is whine about how he’s a shit person and sings that stupid musical you were all obsessed with.”

It’s lucky he hadn’t started to walk yet, because Tommy probably would have tripped over after hearing that. “He’s - is he rebuilding L’Manberg? Here?”

“Yeah.” Schlatt shrugs, pulling a flask out from his pocket and taking a large swig. He smears a hand across his mouth to wipe up the drops that dribbled out of his mouth as he continues: “We got unlimited resources here. Not a bad deal, in the end. I mean - dying sucks, and not having anyone around is kinda boring, but. Not like I ever needed anyone anyway, right?”

“Yes, well, some of us have people who actually like us, Schlatt.”

“Nobody actually liked you, Tommy.” The way Schlatt says it is like it’s a joke, but it cuts to the bone all the same. “We’re all dead now. We can at least be honest with each other.”

“I am being honest, dickhead.” Tommy replies, but it doesn’t feel like he is. Did people like him? Really? Sam - a bit. Jack - maybe. Techno - questionable, even at the best of times. Tubbo - 

Tubbo.

Tommy doesn’t want to think about Tubbo.

Schlatt raises his eyebrows at him like he knows what Tommy’s thinking about, so in case death has given him some crazy psychic powers, he tries to mentally project “SCHLATT IS A CUNT” as strongly as he possibly can. They walk to wherever Wilbur must be in silence, and Schlatt was right - Wilbur really has been rebuilding L’Manberg. It’s not identical, obviously - the details lost to memory and time - but. It still reminds Tommy of when things had been good, when life had been fun, when his biggest concern had been a drug van and Dream maybe getting a little bit annoyed at him, but not enough to actually want to do anything to him. When he didn’t flinch at the sight of certain trees, when he could see lava and not feel the overwhelming urge to dive in headfirst. When he was happy. 

He sees the back of Wilbur’s head before he sees anything else, and Wilbur must hear their footsteps because he says, not bothering to turn around: “Schlatt, whatever it is, I’m not in the mood.” Before anyone can say anything more, Tommy has launched himself at Wilbur’s back, arms wrapped around his torso, forehead against his shoulder. He feels Wilbur tense in front of him, putting a hand on Tommy’s arm in an attempt to pull him off. “Schlatt, what the fuck-”

“It’s not Schlatt, you fuckin’ idiot.” Tommy says, and it’s only once he’s heard the shakiness of his own voice that he realises he’s started crying.

There’s a pause, and then Wilbur’s squirming out of his arms to turn around and face him, the fastest Tommy’s ever seen him move in his - can he say in his life, anymore? Regardless, Wilbur’s fast, and his eyes are moving fast too, searching Tommy’s face and body, taking him in like he can’t quite believe he’s real. “Tommy?”

“Bet you weren’t expecting to see me, huh?” Tommy gives a shuddering laugh, and Wilbur laughs too in spite of himself, mouth continuing to hang open even when there’s no sound coming out. “Surprise!”

“Surprise-” Wilbur repeats in a breathless tone, before yanking Tommy towards him and hugging him so tight and close Tommy wouldn’t be surprised if their bodies started to merge into one. That seems like the type of weird shit that would happen in this place. “What the fuck - what the fuck happened?”

“Dream.” Is all Tommy can bring himself to say, and even saying his name creates a black hole in his stomach, makes him feel like his lungs might finally give in. Though they have, technically, because, you know - death. “I think - I pushed him too far this time.” Wilbur doesn’t say he isn’t surprised, or make some dumb quip, which Tommy is thankful for - he just holds him impossibly tighter, presses his mouth to Tommy’s curls in the ghostly imitation of a kiss. 

“I’m gonna murder that green bastard.” Wilbur says. “I’m gonna fucking resurrect myself through the sheer power of will and kill ‘im. I’m gonna set Wilbur the fucking friendly ghost on him.”

“I’ll help.” Tommy replies, finally tugging his way out of Wilbur’s arms so that they can properly look at each other - and so he can regain some circulation in his arms. “I’ll possess Gogy - make it all tragic n’ shit.”

“Good plan.” Wilbur nods faux-seriously, and God - Tommy’s missed his brother so much he thinks he might start crying again, which is fucking weird and embarassing as shit. He steadies himself for a bit, let's Wilbur show him around his new L’Manberg - show him the reconstructed Prime Path and Niki’s bakery and Eret’s castle. It’s nice, but sad - like a ghost town, but with no ghosts to even populate it. Not that Tommy would prefer that his friends were dead, but - he’s getting off-track. 

Time becomes a bit wavy, when you’re dead. It’s not like there are days, or any way of measuring what’s gone past. There’s no consistent cycle, no important events or timelines or anything that would have kept him anchored in life. It helps, a little - if he can’t keep track of how long he’s been gone, he doesn’t have to think about the fact that he _is_ gone. Regardless, there’s definitely a substantial amount of time between the point where he came into the In-Between and when Tubbo shows up. 

Tommy’s lying in a field just out of New L’Manberg as they’ve started calling it when he appears. Henry’s to his left, chewing on grass and huffing occasionally. The cat that he - that was in the cell with him and Dream is with them too - it’d taken a while for Wilbur to get him to calm down after he saw her for the first time, leaping on top of one of the chests in Wilbur’s house like she owned the place. Why Wilbur even has chests when they have constant access to anything they need is beyond him, but Tommy guesses it helps it feel more normal - as normal as it can feel here. Apparently every living being that wasn’t a monster came here, which had certainly been a shock when Mexican Dream had leapt out at him from behind a tree, screaming obscenities. She apparently holds no grudges towards him, to the point where she started actively seeking him out, and they’ve slowly developed a kinder, softer relationship. Tommy still hasn’t quite come around on cats, but this one can stay, he guesses. His eyes open when he hears a choked gasp, only to see Tubbo there, and he didn’t know it wasn’t physically possible he would think his heart had cracked in half.

“Tubbo?” He says stupidly, sitting up so violently he almost gives himself a headrush. “Why are you - what are you - what happened? Did someone - did Dream get you?”

“I’m not dead, Tommy.” Tubbo shakes his head, and it’s only when Tommy gives him a quick scan that he realises his hands are shaking too. “I’m not - I’ve come to get you back.”

“Tubbo-“ Tommy puts his face in his hands for a moment, heaving in a deep breath. “Tubbo, I know this shit is scary, but you know where we are, right? There’s no coming back from here.”

Tubbo tilts his head at him, giving him the same look he always did when he thought Tommy was being a bit dim. “Of course I know where we are - I chose to come here.”

“You-“ Killed yourself, Tommy doesn’t ask, can’t bear to speak it aloud.

Thankfully not even death can stop their ability to know exactly what the other is thinking, because Tubbo hurriedly says: “No, not like that. Well, technically sort of like that, I guess? It’s a bit complicated to explain, but I’m here, and I’m going to leave, and _you’re_ going to come with me.”

Tommy blinks. “How?”

“Like I said, it’s hard - it’s hard to explain. I don’t even understand it, really, but - it’s gonna work. That’s what matters.” The more Tommy looks at him, the sharper he gets. That’s what convinces him that this is real, above all else - everything down here is a bit hazy around the edges, in that fuzzy space between reality and unreality. In contrast, Tubbo is so sharp and clear and _real._ He’s real, and he’s here, and he’s come for Tommy. That thought is what finally gets Tommy up on his feet, running over and colliding with Tubbo in a messy hug. Tubbo laughs, bright and real, and there are no words in the English language that could possibly describe how much Tommy has missed that sound, as much as he used to make fun of it. 

Tommy even gives him a theatrical kiss on the cheek for good measure before pulling back and saying: “Is there like, a time limit on whatever magic trick you’ve pulled to get here, or can I go say goodbye to Wilbur first.”

Tubbo’s eyes widen in shock, like he hadn’t realised Wilbur would be here. Maybe he hadn’t at all. “No - yeah - that’d be fine. I’d like to see him too.” Tommy grabs him by the hand and drags him into New L’Manberg proper, turning around once and a while so he can see Tubbo take it all in. He looks like he can’t quite believe what he’s seeing, a little sad, the same way Tommy feels every time he walks through it

“Wilbur!” Tommy yells at the top of his lungs, his talent for loudness finally coming into use. “Wilburrrrrrrrr! Wilbur?”

“What, child?” Wilbur yells from inside Niki’s bakery - it’s not a surprise, given it’s where he spends most of his time. “You would think death would make you a bit less annoying, you know.”

“Never!” Tommy shouts back, and Tubbo laughs. There’s a crash, and then Wilbur’s standing in the doorway, looking at Tubbo with a shell shocked expression.

“What the fuck happened to you?”

“He’s come to take me back.” Tommy announces for him, as he feels Tubbo’s grip tighten.

Wilbur snorts. “Yeah, right, and I didn’t actually fuck a salmon.”

Tommy wrinkles his nose. “What you are and aren’t sexually attracted to is not, and will never be, any of my business Wilbur.”

“I really am, though.” Tubbo says from behind him. “Not - attracted to salmon. I’m taking him home.”

“But-“ Wilbur frowns, face as innocent as a child’s. “You can’t leave.”

Tommy’s stomach drops. “Wilbur, you know I can’t - I can’t just miss out on an opportunity to leave. You know that.”

“But what about - what about me, what about this? They can’t - I _need_ you there. They don’t. They have - they have life, they have everyone, they have everything. I have - this, and you. And Schlatt, I guess, but I don’t think he really counts.”

“And Mexican Dream.”

“And Mexican Dream.” Wilbur sighs. “You can’t - you can’t leave. Please don’t leave.”

Tommy turns to Tubbo, and asks, even though he knows the answer from the heartbroken look on his face. “Can’t we take him with us?”

“I’m sorry.” Tubbo offers, looking past him to Wilbur. “I’m sorry, I wish - I wish I could. But I can only take Tommy. It’s my life for his.”

“What?” Tommy yells, entirely unaware that _this_ was part of the deal. “I’m sorry, what the fuck! I’m not fucking doing shit if it means you _die,_ idiot.”

Tubbo runs a hand across his face. “No, no - sorry, I probably should have explained that.”

“Yeah!” Tommy’s voice wavers as he says it, and he swears to fucking God if he starts crying again he’ll never forgive himself. “Yeah, you don’t fucking say, of course you should fuckin’ explain something like that!”

“It’s-” Tubbo pauses to take a breath, and take Tommy’s arm, so that both of his hands are holding onto him, like Tommy might disappear if he isn’t touching him. “We made - a deal, I guess. Do you know about DreamXD?” He takes both of their confused faces as a negative, and continues. “Well, he - he’s sort of Dream? But he has all these - powers, and shit. We’re not bringing you back through the revive book - nobody wanted to owe regular Dream anything. And then George - I guess Dream killing you the way he did was the last straw for him. And DreamXD is like - obsessed with him, so when he asked if there was any way to bring you back, he said there was, only - we’d have to trade a life. And - look, don’t get mad, but I _was_ going to trade my last life for yours, Tommy. I would have. I will, if I have to, but since Ranboo and I are married, he was able to trade once for me, so I regained the life I would have lost, and the one I would have lost I can give to you. Does that make sense?”

Tommy pauses. Blinks. Pauses a bit longer. “You and Ranboo are _married_?”

“Platonically!” Tubbo says, like that’s a normal thing that normal teenagers do, just platonically marry each on a whim. “We also have a son - you missed out on a lot when you were in jail.”

“You don’t fuckin’ say!” 

“So this is it, then.” Wilbur murmurs. Tommy feels guilty for forgetting he was there for a moment. “You’re going to leave me.”

Tommy goes to move toward him, forgetting he has an errant Tubbo clinging to him like a limpet. Fortunately Tubbo gets the message and they start moving forward together. “Wilbur, I have to - you know I have to go back. I can’t - I can’t stay here. I know you said there was a space for me here, but - there’s still a space for me back there too. I can’t - I’m not going to give that up. Not even for you. I’m sorry.”

He’s scared, for a moment - Wilbur may have softened out in death a little, but he’s still angry, still vengeful, still the man who Tommy loved and grew terrified of in equal measure. But instead of irate, he just looks - tired. A little guilty. “I know. I know, I - I just liked having you here.”

“I’ll be here again.” Tubbo stiffens beside him as he says it, so he amends his statement a little. “Not - hopefully not soon. But we’ll all join you, at one point or another.”

“Death’s just a waiting game.” Wilbur sighs. “Well. You should go, then. I don’t - it’s just going to be harder if you stay. Just go.” Tommy and Tubbo have another one of their magical mind-meld moments, which - suck it Ranboo, he’s still Tubbo’s best friend - and they throw themselves at Wilbur as one, creating a chaotic tangle of limbs. Wilbur laughs, but it’s sad - and so reminiscent of Ghostbur Tommy almost gasps in shock. He holds them both tightly, and for a second it's almost as if it’s the old days, when they were glorious and bright with joy and newly-gained independence. 

But it’s not the old days anymore. It never will be again. 

Tommy looks at Wilbur the whole time they leave - how exactly they leave he doesn’t quite understand, and it’s a bit blurry. The only thing he remembers is Wilbur’s face, brilliant with sorrow and anger and happiness all in one. It’s only once Tommy’s knees hit the rough ground of the prison entrance beneath him, that he feels his surroundings become tangible in a way they never were in the In-Between, that he allows himself to cry.

Sam’s there before he can even think, kneeling before him but not touching, like he isn’t quite sure Tommy would allow him to. “Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, I’m so sorry, I’m so fucking sorry, I never - you know I never - I didn’t think that could happen, I never thought he’d do it, I never would have let him do it.” He looks up, and even though his eyes are blurry with tears he can see the guilt on Sam’s face, the way his hands shake before him, palms turned upwards in an act of benediction. Tommy, for once in his life, doesn’t speak, just throws himself at Sam in a slightly unhinged motion, sobbing into his shoulder like the child he never got to be. When he’s recovered slightly, he sees the group gathered behind them - Quackity and Jack and Puffy and Ranboo, Techno and Philza, and even Sapnap and George, with - Tommy almost has another violent breakdown, before he sees the unnatural light floating around the figure of the man who looks identical to Dream. He has an arm wrapped around George’s waist, possessive - some things seem to be inherent in Dream, regardless of what form he takes. 

He takes his time greeting everyone else first - Puffy’s eyes are wet as she wraps him in her arms, but her smile is bright and warm. Quackity almost barrels him over with the force of his hug, and he isn’t crying but his voice shakes a little as he very firmly tells Tommy to: “never fucking do that again, dumbass.” into his shoulder. Jack looks like he might shatter into pieces. Ranboo gives him an awkward nod and a smile. Neither Techno nor Phil hug him, but there’s a genuine happiness in their eyes that can’t be mistaken. George doesn’t hug him either, but he hugs George, despite the awkwardness created by the looming figure beside them. Finally, he turns to DreamXD, and God - it still throws him off so fucking much. He hopes that he and George just fuck off to the woods somewhere again. Tommy doesn’t exactly feel like risking a panic attack every time he leaves his house. 

“So I guess I should say thank you.” Tommy says, finally. “I won’t, but I know I should.”

“Tommy.” Phil says, in the way he always does, and he hasn’t really been Tommy’s dad - not for a long time, but the fondness is still there. Will hopefully always be there.

“Thank you!” Tubbo pipes up from behind him, continuing on his crusade to try and trick everyone into thinking that he’s the sweet one out of the two of them, so that no-one blinks twice when he randomly spouts the most deranged shit anyone’s ever heard. Tommy knows his game. It won’t work on him. 

“Thank _you_.” Tommy says, but he turns to Ranboo as he says it. DreamXD scoffs from behind him, and it’s so terrifyingly familiar, Tommy almost starts digging a hole in the ground on instinct. “For not letting Tubbo do some dumb suicidal shit.”

“It wasn’t dumb suicidal shit!” Tubbo insists, and Tommy whirls around to face him so fast he almost falls over. “I was going to save you!”

“What’s the point of saving me if you die, dickhead! You think I’d want to be on this piece of shit server without you?”

“That would have been a lot nicer if you hadn’t called me a dickhead.”

Tommy huffs. “Well, it wouldn’t have been me, and you know I like to stay true to myself. Who wouldn’t? I bet you all wish you were me, don’t you? You look at me and you cry yourself to sleep knowing you could never be this cool and hot. And cool. And covered in girlfriends.”

“Can we kill him again?” Jack asks, and then quickly recoils when Sam and Puffy give him matching, slightly violent glares. “Okay, too soon, sorry.”

Tubbo slips his hand into Tommy’s again, and Tommy squeezes it hard enough that he knows it’ll hurt, but Tubbo doesn’t let go. He wouldn’t. He would never. 

“Really though.” Tommy turns back to DreamXD, and doesn’t even flinch. Well, maybe a little bit. A baby flinch. A fetus flinch. “Thanks, I guess.”

“George wanted it.” DreamXD shrugs, “You should be thanking him, really.”

“Thank you, Gogy.” Tommy says in a musical tone, and George rolls his eyes at the nickname, but he smiles a little all the same.

“Just don’t die again.” He replies, and Sapnap nods in agreement. “I’m pretty sure this is a one-time offer, so. Don’t waste it.”

“Not my fault your boyfriend’s a murderous dick.” Tommy mutters, and the look George gives him is enough for Tommy to put his hands up, like he’s been caught committing a crime. Not that he ever gets caught. Except for the times that he very much did. Like when he got exiled. He should probably work on that. “Okay, sorry. Looks like you got yourself a cool new god boyfriend anyway, so you know. Good for you. Gay rights, and all that.” That’s enough to break the tension - Quackity cackles and Sapnap snorts and Techno looks completely and utterly confused. It’s a delightful and rare thing to witness.

They all seem to take a collective breath, before Puffy says kindly: “You should probably get some rest.” Her gaze changes from anger to affection in the split-second she turns from Jack to him. She terrifies Tommy, quite a lot. 

“Ranboo put flowers outside your house, you should come see them!” Tubbo starts tugging him towards the exit of the prison. Which reminds him:

“Since when were you two fucking married with a kid? Why would you not tell me I was an uncle?”

Ranboo looks at him sheepishly. Have you ever seen an Enderman hybrid look sheepish? It’s not the most natural sight in the world. “Well, we would have, but - you know. Slightly odd circumstances. Prison.”

“Childcare is busy!” Tubbo insists. “Actually, where is Michael?” 

“With Niki.”

“Do I have to babysit now?”

“And let you turn my son into a miniature you? No thanks.” Tubbo grins at him, but Tommy still yells “Hey!” at him indignantly.

“You should be delighted if he turns out like me. That’s a gift. Actually, is it too late to rename him Tommy the 2nd?”

“Yes.” Ranboo replies, “but if we ever get a second child, I promise that’ll be a name we consider. We won’t choose it, but we’ll consider it.”

“How many children are you planning on having, good Christ.” Tommy mutters under his breath, but he’s happy. He’s missed this more than he knew. He can hear Big Q, Sapnap, and Jack yelling about something behind him, George laughing softly in the distance. Puffy seems to also be yelling at Techno, which Tommy would be thrilled to witness if he wasn’t already being tugged away to his house, Ranboo having latched onto his other hand. 

He’s happy. He’s home. He’ll join Wilbur when he’s ready, and he’s far from ready yet.

**Author's Note:**

> deleted scene
> 
> tommy: i can't believe you platonically married a friend and it wasn't me  
> tubbo: but tommy you're not my friend  
> tommy: ...  
> tubbo: you're my brother  
> tommy: don't ever pause like that again that was the scariest fucking moment of my life
> 
> anyway i am very very sad about my boy and i know this is nowhere close to how it will play out in canon i just wanted to have it here anyway because otherwise i will lose my mind. please bring tommy back. it has been like fourteen hours and i'm already miserable
> 
> also i didn’t really explicitly say it in the fic but even tho it directly goes against what wilbur said the in-between was like (i think) i kind of imagined it as like a mirror of the server as it started? and they have automatic creative mode? but it’s also like a bit fucked up and weird obviously because they’re dead
> 
> also also i'm on tunglr at tommmyoutit if y'all want to come scream and you want to see me be even more embarassing ab mcyt at the bold age of 20! thanks love u


End file.
